


God Bless Baseball Pants

by brit



Category: Teen Wolf (TV)
Genre: Awkward Flirting, F/M, M/M, derek is a baseball player, im so sorry, no longer a one shot, stiles is a sarcastic little shit
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2014-03-28
Updated: 2014-06-21
Packaged: 2018-01-17 08:45:04
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 6
Words: 12,540
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1381261
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/brit/pseuds/brit
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Every day after school, Stiles spends a good fifteen minutes waiting for Scott to finish saying goodbye to Allison. You'd think he'd get annoyed by it, but it's probably his favorite part of the day.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. God Bless Baseball Pants

He counted fifteen. Fifteen times that Allison pulled away from Scott, smiled, then pulled him back for her to kiss him just ‘one more time.’ And what was Stiles doing? Staring at the baseball team in their blessed by God himself pants. Number 32 in particular. Derek Hale was the star of the baseball team, and the star of one too many of Stiles’s dreams. And so Stiles didn’t mind when Allison went in for the sixteenth, wait not seventeenth time. Honestly, it was Stiles’s favorite part of the day. 

Greenberg pitched a ball to Derek who hit it perfectly. It went way into center field where no one was standing. Stiles, unknowingly, did a tiny fist pump. Greenberg pitched another and another and another and again and again and again Derek hit them flawlessly without any misses. Stiles leaned his elbow on the steering wheel, half waiting for Scott to be done and half trying to get a better view. Unfortunately for both Stiles and Derek, Stiles sneezed, causing him to jolt forward and hit his head on the steering wheel, blaring the horn. Scott and Allison jumped, both screaming in shock. Derek, having Greenberg just pitch a ball, swung too early. He still hit the ball, it just didn’t go anywhere he wanted it to go. It of course went straight toward Stiles’s Jeep. 

The ball ricocheted off the windshield and bounced under someone else’s car. Stiles ducked as far as he could under the steering wheel, hoping to avoid Derek. Not so lucky, of course. A fervent tapping came on the driver’s side window. Stiles’s head popped up, terrified to see the red faced, much bigger than him, intimidatingly attractive Derek that was waiting for him. Derek motioned for him to roll the window down. Stiles nervously did so, his hand shaking and becoming sweaty. He’d never actually talked to Derek other than when Derek asked him to borrow a pencil in chemistry, and now the first conversation he was going to have with him was going to be Derek chewing him out. 

“May I help you?” Stiles tried to say nonchalantly. Derek’s glare was much more intimidating up close. 

“What the hell was that?” 

“To which ‘that’ are you referring?” Stiles looked over to where Scott and Allison were supposed to be. But instead of his best friend and his best friend’s girlfriend, he found an empty space. He didn’t blame them for bailing though. If he had the chance to run away right then, he’d take it. 

“Don’t be a smart ass. What’d you honk for? You scared the hell outta me, made me miss.” Derek sneered down at Stiles.

“I thought I saw Bigfoot and I was trying to warn you guys. False alarm though, just one of the more hairy players. Really sorry about that. But we’re all good, right? It was nice talking to you. Stop by anytime.” It was like word vomit. Stiles couldn’t help but say something sarcastic, it was his only defense against Derek Hale’s dark demeanor. Although, if Stiles wasn’t mistaken, he’d say that Derek smiled at his dumb joke, if only a second. But then Stiles could hear Derek grit his teeth in anger. Derek opened his mouth but no words came out. He just opened his mouth, then shut it again. He pointed a finger at Stiles, mouth open again, but still was silent. He eventually just shook his head and walked away. He walked to the car that the ball had rolled under and bent down to get it. Stiles tried not to watch him bend down, but he couldn’t help but sneak a look. Baseball pants just weren’t fair.  

Finally, with Derek walking back to the field, Stiles could breathe again. But then Derek turned around, and the breathing stopped again. ‘ _Don’t come back. Don’t come back_.’ He kept saying to himself, hoping that Derek might have super hearing or something. But instead of listening to Stiles, Derek walked right back to the Jeep. He pointed at the window again, letting Stiles know that he had to roll the window down. 

“Back so soon?” Why couldn’t he just bite his tongue? 

“Yeah. What’s your name?” At a time he needed to be able to speak, no words would come to his mind. What _was_ his name? It started with an ‘S’, maybe. “What? Now you suddenly can’t speak?” Derek leaned against the car, throwing the ball up in the air, catching it, throwing it up, catching it. 

“Stiles,” his voice cracked. That time Derek definitely laughed. Stiles cleared his throat, mortified. “My name’s Stiles.” 

 “Stiles? What the hell kind of name is that?” Derek's nasty bite was weakening. He seemed to be enjoying making Stiles squirm.   

“One that belongs to a kid being harassed by the mighty Derek Hale.” Derek dropped the ball, the first time missing catching it. Stiles chocked back a laugh. “Oh how the mighty have fallen.” Damn he was witty.  

“I didn’t know you knew my name. How’d you know my name?” Stiles didn’t hold the laugh that time. He honestly thought Derek was joking. When Derek just looked at him with a blank stare, waiting for an answer, Stiles slowly stopped laughing. 

“Are you kidding me? Literally everyone knows who you are. Even if we didn’t have chemistry together, I’m pretty sure I’d still know who you are.” 

“We have chemistry? Since when?” Stiles held his chin, ‘thinking.’ 

“Let’s see, today is the third of the month, the wind is blowing north, tomorrow night’s a full moon, so I’d say…since the first day of class. Which is like six months or so. But you know, my calculations could be off.” 

“I—I didn’t know. Sorry.” 

“I wouldn’t expect you to know my name. I’m just some junior that no one really cares for. I’ve been told I have a smart mouth.” Derek laughed, nodding. Stiles ran his hand over his head. Was it really possible that he was talking to Derek Hale? No, actually he was pretty sure he was flirting with Derek Hale. 

“Yeah, well I guess I’ll see you in chemistry.” Derek said, before jogging back to the field. Stiles rolled the window up.   

“Probably not,” he said to himself. He was about to text Scott, tell him that he and Allison could come back, the coast was all clear, when Scott jumped into the Jeep without warning. 

“Holy shit dude, that was Derek Hale. Did he threaten to murder you or something?” 

“Yeah he totally did. He said ‘You. Me. Flagpole. After school.’ I nearly pissed my pants.” Scott laughed in a mocking tone, playing along with Stiles’s obviously fake answer. He looked at Stiles, hoping to get a real answer. But why even bother with Stiles?

“Okay, fine don’t tell me what he said. But if he decides to come after you during lunch or something, I’m not backing you up.” Even though the threat factor of Derek beating Stiles up was very low, Stiles knew that Scott had his back no matter what he said. Stiles started up the Jeep, ready to get out of the school parking lot when another baseball flew into his windshield. He had just replaced the breaks, he did not have enough money to replace his windshield. Whoever the idiot was who screwed up that hit was going to pay for the damage if there was any. Stiles slammed on his new breaks and checked the glass. It was fine. When he saw who was jogging over to claim the ball though, Stiles was the one who was not fine. 

“Is that?” Scott asked in disbelief. Stiles just nodded. Derek picked up the ball and walked over to the car, tapping on the window. 

“Am I going to have to get a restraining order?” Derek turned red. More red than what he already was due to the constant running back and forth. Stiles had just made Derek Hale blush. 

“No. I was just going to give you my number. I mean we’re in the same chemistry class, right? If I have to miss a day or two for baseball, I need someone to get my assignment from, right?” Derek may have wanted it to sound cool. And it might have in his head. But to Stiles, he sounded flustered and cute. Stiles bit back a smile.

“Yeah, sure. Right.” Stiles grabbed a pen from his book bag and gave it to Derek. He scribbled the number on Stiles’s hand. Stiles was excepting to be waking up from this dream at any minute. Obviously he had spaced out while waiting for Scott and Allison and was having a beautiful day dream where he and Derek got to ride off in the sunset and live happily ever after.

“Okay. Call me. Uh, I mean if, you know, I’m ever absent or something.”

“Or if I want to get dinner with you?” Stiles half joked with him. Scott, who had been trying to focus on his phone and totally not eavesdrop, looked up at Stiles, eye wide with a mixture of fear/confusion/amusement. Derek was caught a little off guard as well, but he smiled, actually smiled.

“That works too,” Derek said before running back to the field where Greenberg was shouting at him to ‘stop flirting with the kid in the shitty Jeep.’ Stiles couldn’t decide whether to look at Derek running in his baseball pants or the number written on his hand. The pants won until they were out of sight then the number took his focus.

“Stiles?”

“Yeah Scott?” He didn’t look away from his hand.

“Did you just ask Derek Hale out?”

“Not yet.”


	2. Just Call Him Stiles

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> He's just being stupid. Derek doesn't want him to actually call him, right? What happened was obviously just a joke. So why had Stiles been staring at his phone for the past hour?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So a few people wanted me to add more so I thought I'd maybe make it a real thing with multiple chapters and character developments, you know, the works. Let me know what you think. Yay or nay?

He had been staring at his phone for the past hour. The number was still scrawled on his hand, some it had even started to smudge, but he could still read it. He was going to put it in his phone when he got home, but then he got home. He threw his book bag on the floor, said 'hi' to his dad, then ran upstairs to his room. He sat at his desk and got his phone out, ready to call. But then he found himself incapable of dialing any numbers. He set the phone down on the desk, picked it up, froze, then set it back down. And so for an hour he’d been just looking at the phone like it would bite him if he touched it.

Then it began to ring. He shrieked, panicked because it might be Derek, then realized that Derek had given _him_ the number not the other way around. So he carefully picked up the phone to see that it was just Lydia.

“Holy shit.” It was no shock to Stiles that Lydia knew. She had already left school when it happened, but she knew everything, so it wasn’t surprising. The only thing that surprised Stiles was how long it took her to call him.

“I know.”

“No. Holy shit. You asked out Derek Hale. I am freaking out!” She squealed. Unlike Stiles, Lydia was freaking out because she was excited for Stiles. Stiles was freaking out because he was a fucking dumbass and had gotten himself into an impossible situation that he had never even dreamt of being possible.

“You’re freaking out? _I’m_ freaking out. But I didn’t ask him out.”

“What the fuck are you talking about?” She sounded so disappointed. “I heard that you did. From a very reliable source might I add.”

“Scott or Allison?”

“Allison, from Scott. But that is so not the point. The point is you have his number and told him that you were going to ask him out to dinner.”

“Yeah, but that’s not asking him out. He might have thought I was just kidding. I mean I was kind of being a sarcastic shit the entire time he talked to me.”

“No. Scott told me that the way he smiled when you said that was a dead giveaway the he totally wants you to ask him out. Today. Right now.”

“Lydia. I can’t do it. It’s only been an hour. He’s probably still at baseball. And he told me to call him only if he missed school. And…and…what about the three day rule or some shit like that?”

“Practice is over. That’s total bullshit. And…and…so is that.” He did not appreciate the mocking, but she was right. “Stiles seriously you have been dreaming of your wedding with Derek Hale since, like, seventh grade. Can’t you just, I don’t know, stop being a baby and just do it? Call him.” He looked at his hand. Ten little numbers, that’s all they were. Just ten random digits that may or may not alter his entire destiny. Because Lydia was right. Since seventh grade Stiles has been pining for Derek. Ever since Derek picked him for his dodge ball team in gym class, he was the one Stiles wanted to date, to kiss, to fall in love with. It was a stupid crush he just never got over.

“I don’t think I can, Lydia. He’s Derek Fucking Hale. He’s all muscle and broody and stubble and _eyebrow_. I just…can’t. I was really nervous and my foot really likes my mouth apparently. He probably doesn’t even want me to. He probably just gave me his number to laugh at me when I do call him.” Lydia sighed. 

“That is literally the dumbest thing I have ever heard. I’m going to say this once Stiles: Hang up the phone. Dial Derek’s number. And call him.”

“But—” Stiles started to rebut but Lydia hung up on him. She got the first step out of the way. He took a deep breath. And then forgot to let it go. He just stared at the phone again. Maybe if he stared long enough it would dial itself.

It was too soon. An hour? No he was going to wait. He was going to wait until after dinner. Yeah, dinner was all he needed. His dad was home and making chili. He shoved his phone in his desk drawer and pushed himself up from the chair and flew down the stairs. His dad was in the kitchen, swaying to music that wasn’t playing, shaking different spices into the pot.

“Sup Daddy-o?” Stiles walked over to him, slapping his shoulder. The sheriff jerked forward and the bottle of Tabasco sauce he had been trying to get only a _few_ drops into the chili fell into the pot. He turned around, eyeing his son. Stiles didn’t even hold back his laugh. He laughed all the way to the fridge.

“Stiles,” he sighed. He rolled his sleeve up and fished out the now nearly empty bottle of sauce.

“How was your day, Pops? Catch any bad guys? Solve any murders? Spray anyone with pepper spray?” Stiles grabbed a can of Arizona tea and jumped onto the counter.

“I sat at a desk and did paper work all day, like usual. And get your ass off the counter; you’re not five.” He flicked the towel at his son. Stiles rolled his eyes as he hopped off the counter. He got the bowls out and grabbed two spoons, setting the table. His dad turned the burner off and stirred the chili one more time before bringing it to the table.

They sat down and began to eat. The sheriff tried not the cough at the heat of his Tabasco accident. They ate in silence for the most part. Every few bites Stiles would open his mouth to say something but then change his mind and just eat another spoonful of chili. After the fourth time of that, his dad set his spoon down, wiped his mouth, and asked his son what the problem was.

“Problem? What problem? I’m, like, 100% problem free right now.” The sheriff eyed his son.

“Stiles, just tell me.” Stiles shrugged his shoulders, taking a sip of Arizona, adverting eye contact. Sheriff Stilinski kept staring, knowing his son well enough to know that Stiles was going to give in and tell him. Stiles looked down at his hand. The number was still there, ink still strong.

“Okay, let’s say that hypothetically someone gave you their number saying that you should call them if they’re sick and miss an assignment and then because you’re a total dumbass you say something along the lines of ‘or to ask you to dinner.’ and they respond with a stupid smile and a ‘that works too.’ What would you do?” He rushed it out so fast he had to take a gulp of Arizona.

“Is this about Derek Hale?” And that gulp of Arizona was now shooting out of his nose.

“What the…I don’t…who told—” But he knew the answer.

“Scott,” they both said at the same time. He was going to kill Scott. Straight up murder. He didn’t care that his father was sheriff. Scott McCall was going to die. A very painful death.

“Don’t be mad at him. He’s just trying to be a good friend. And hypothetically I’d just call him.”

“I can’t…I don’t know what to even think. I think I’m going to go to my room and contemplate the murder of my best friend.” Stiles pushed his chair out and walked to his room. He sat on the bed and stared at his desk. His phone was in the drawer, waiting for him to call Derek. He pushed himself from the bed, moved two inches, fell back onto the bed, hitting his head on the wall. He rolled over, face burying into his pillow. He pulled the covers over his head and let out a dying cat sound. 

“Stiles?” His dad was standing in the doorway. He uncovered his head but did not sit up or move otherwise.

“What?” he mumbled into his pillow.

“Can I give you some advice?” Stiles groaned but didn’t say no, so his dad just walked into the room and sat in the desk’s chair. “When I was in college there was this girl in my English 102. She sat in front of me and she chewed her pen caps and I could smell her perfume every time she raised her hand. Sometimes I would say ‘hi’ to her but I never really tried to make conversation with her. I was too afraid. Then on the day before we left for Thanksgiving I said ‘bye’ and she smiled and started to walk out the door and then a minute later she came back in and handed me a slip of paper. It was her name and number. She didn’t even say anything, just handed me the paper and left. I stared at the paper for the entire Thanksgiving break, but I didn’t call her. When we got back she didn’t look at me when she got to class. Before she left though she turned around and asked me why I didn’t call her. I told her I was too afraid to. She smiled, God was her smile one that made time stop, and told me ‘well don’t be’ and then left. That night I called her and we talked for hours and by the end of the conversation I had asked her out. And you know what would have happened if I never called her? You wouldn’t be born. So why not do yourself a favor and call Derek.” Stiles sat up to get a better look at his father. His dad never talked about...

“Did you just tell me the story of how you met Mom to get me to call Derek?” The sheriff didn’t say anything. He just patted Stiles’s knee and got up. Before he left the room he pulled out his wallet and set something on Stiles's desk. 

“Call Derek.” The sheriff left, closing the door behind him. Stiles got out of the bed and looked at a little piece of paper. It was a little worn and the pencil was faded, but he could still read it. _Claudia 530-455-6440_. And the next thing he knew, he was grabbing his phone and punching in Derek's number. 


	3. The Number You Have Reached Is Not Available

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Voicemails were supposed to be a hell of a lot easier than this.

“The number you have reached is not available. Please leave a message at the sound of the tone.” The relief he felt when the voicemail picked up and not Derek was probably a little more than he should have felt. A voicemail, he could do that. Simple. Just name and number and maybe even a ‘we should get dinner sometimes’ simple enough. Then the tone sounded and everything he had just planned on saying was wiped from his memory. For at least two minutes all that came out of Stiles’s mouth was a variation of ‘um’ uh’ or just panicked breathing. Finally, he got words out.

“Fuck it. Hi Derek. It’s, um, Stiles. Stilinski. From chemistry?” He thought that was a decent start. “Yeah so I called because when you gave me your number you said to only use it for when you were out for baseball but then I said that I would call to ask you to dinner and you smiled and laughed but I didn’t know if that was a laughing at the kid who honestly couldn’t be any bigger of a dumbass or a laughing at the cute, ballsy kid who was only slightly a dumbass. So I’ve been staring at my phone for like an hour trying to decide whether or not I should call because well I don’t want for it to turn out that you were laughing at the complete dumbass and that you were laughing at the cute dumbass. Wow I’ve said dumbass, like, at least ten times in this very long, maybe slightly over drawn out message. I’m really sorry. Okay well I’ve embarrassed myself long enough I suppose.” He was about to hang up when he realized that he didn’t even do what he was planning on doing. “Oh, shit I almost forgot to ask—” then another tone set off. He was cut off. He went to go burry his head in the sand for the rest of time when a beautiful voice came in to save him.

“If you are satisfied with your message, press one. If you would like to restart your message, press two. To end the call, press pound.” And without even having to think about it, Stiles pressed the pound key. He was taking the message as a sign that he was not supposed to call Derek. Because it was Derek Fucking Hale and he was just Stiles Stilinski and why would Derek Hale want anything to do with Stiles Stilinski?

The paper with his mother’s name on it fell from his hand to the desk. He sighed and shook his head.

“Sorry, Mom.” He put the phone down and walked away. Maybe his dad had brought home some donuts for dessert.

* * *

 

The next day, the first thing Scott said when he got in the Jeep was ‘Derek?’ He didn’t even form it into a complete sentence. Just ‘Derek?’. Stiles, having been feeling guilty for not technically calling Derek, didn’t want Scott to give him the puppy dog eyes and telling him ‘that’s alright, bro.’ and patting him on the shoulder. He wasn’t a fucking toddler that needed to be consoled. So when he asked ‘Derek?’ Stiles just smiled and said:

“Yep.” He knew what Scott was asking and ‘yep’ was not the correct response. But when confronted by Scott about the lie— which was going to happen, he just knew it — he could always play dumb. So he felt a little less shitty about lying to his best friend.

“Dude, I’m so happy for you. You’ve have a thing for Derek since, like, middle school.”

“Yep,” he swallowed hard. He gripped the steering wheel tighter as he drove down the road toward school. Scott didn’t even notice. He was just happy that his friend was happy.

* * *

 

Chemistry came a lot sooner than usual. Stiles was pretty sure that the clocks were running fast. Like five hours fast. But he didn’t have time to talk to the principal about their shitty clocks. He had to get to chemistry before Mr. Harris closed the door and refused to let him in. Again. He ran down the hall, knocking into people, shouting apologizes to the passer-byers who obviously didn’t care for his apologizes. With barely a second to spare, he slid into his seat, trying to catch his breath.

“Very close today, Mr. Stilinski.” Usually the one with a comeback, Mr. Harris (along with the rest of the class) was shocked to get silence as a response. Stiles just pulled out his text book and began to highlight random words in the book. He looked back to where Derek was sitting. Derek didn’t look up from his phone.

Mr. Harris held a wonderful lecture on the importance of doing homework for the entire class. It didn’t have anything to do with chemistry, but Stiles hated chemistry, so he didn’t really care. It gave him enough time to finish up an English assignment he had forgotten to hand in the last period. It wasn’t quality work though. Not with Derek sitting right behind him. Not with Derek staring at him for the entire class.

When the bell rang, Stiles was out the door before the last chime of the bell was finished ringing through the hallways. He ran down the hall, skipping his locker— he’d just get the notes to study for the economy test Friday from Scott later – and ran right to the Jeep. He told Scott that he was going to have to keep his time with Allison short because he wanted to get home sooner than usual to study for his chemistry quiz coming up. Scott knew it was a lie. Stiles knew Scott knew. Didn’t stop either one of them from telling it or pretending to believe it.

He told Scott to make it quick. But of course Scott wasn’t making it quick. Stiles just sat in his Jeep, leg bouncing with anxiety. He tried to not look out at the baseball field which had just started to fill with the players. Derek, usually one of the first out on the field, wasn’t there. Derek was in chemistry, Stiles knew that. The back of his neck was still burning from the intensity of Derek’s glare. He wanted to say something to him, anything really, but he couldn’t. He just sat at his table next to Scott who was texting Allison the entire time and did poor quality English homework. So why wasn’t he on the field with the rest of the team?

A knock came on the window and he was sure he was going to look up and find Derek. However, Lydia was standing there, hand on hip, lip pouted in annoyance. Stiles rolled the window down, almost afraid to ask her what she wanted.

“Hey, Lydia. What can I help you with?” She reached into the Jeep, smacking Stiles's head. He flinched and shouted at her.

“You jackass. You didn’t call Derek!” He was about to play dumb when he saw the fire in Lydia's eyes that never seemed to die out just get more and more intense. 

“How do you even know that?” She took her hands off her hips only to cross her arms over her chest. She was not having any of Stiles’s bullshit. He sighed when he realized it was Lydia so of course she knew.

“What the hell is wrong with you Stiles? I thought you were going to?” She leaned against the Jeep’s door. She looked in at Stiles who was avoiding eye contact. She leaned into the Jeep and grabbed his head. She rested her forehead on his.

“I just couldn’t do it. Or well I mean I did. But I got his voicemail and then just didn’t leave a message.”

“It’s okay. You can always do it tonight. Or maybe ask him out in person. Who knows.” She kissed his forehead, patted his cheek, then skipped away, not letting him get a word in. He watched as she walked to her car. She waved before driving off, her eyes hiding behind a pair of sunglasses that covered most of her face, but he could tell that her face was just oozing smugness.

“Are you and Lydia Martin going out?” He heard a voice from the opposite side of the Jeep. This time it was Derek. Stiles jumped out of his seat. Derek bit his lip, trying to hide a smile. He walked to Stiles's side and waited for his answer. 

“What? Lydia? Me? No. Not at all,” he sputtered out, beyond nervous. “We’ve just been friends since the fourth grade. She’s like a sister to me. Why? Do you want to ask her out?” He was babbling.

“No. I’m not into red heads. More into brunettes.” Stiles nodded his head, silently. He didn’t know what else to say. He had so many things he wanted to say, mainly that he was sorry for not calling, but he couldn’t force the words out. Yesterday he couldn’t stop the words from falling out of his mouth, today he was begging his brain to let at least one word slip.

“So,” Derek cleared his throat, “I have to get to practice. Am I going to get that phone call tonight or am I going to have to come up with another lame ass excuse to come to talk to you tomorrow as well?”

“Right,” Stiles half laughed half squeaked out, “about that. I called. I did. But I got your voicemail and the message I left was too long and then I just kind of didn’t have enough courage to redo the message so I hung up. So maybe if you pick up everything will work out.” Derek smirked at Stiles. He nodded his head as he backed away from the Jeep.

“Call around nine. I’ll be done baseball by then. No wait, make it 9:15. Give me time to shower.” Derek flashed his ‘I know I’m being a little shit’ smile and winked. He goddamned winked at Stiles. Stiles bit his lip, but not to hide a smile. Derek laughed as he jogged back to the field.

Scott popped up not even a second later. Convenient. He climbed into the Jeep, out of breath.

“Dude, you’ll never believe what just happened to me. I saw Allison and told her I couldn’t stay long. She said she had to talk to Mr. Harris anyway so we both just went our spate ways. Then as I was on my way to the Jeep fricking Lydia came out of nowhere and shoved me into a janitor’s closet. I have been yelling for the past, like, fifteen minutes, trying to get someone’s attention because of course no cell service. Eventually Isaac walked past and heard me. I came running out here as fast as I could. I’m so sorry, bro.” If Scott had said anyone else besides Lydia, Stiles would probably think he was lying, but Lydia would do something like that. She probably made sure that Derek was watching when she was talking to him. He couldn’t tell if he hated Lydia or loved her. A little bit of both.

 

 


	4. The Call to End All Calls

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It was finally happening. How? Stiles had no clue. But he wasn't really going to question it.

9:14 came too quickly. Maybe it wasn’t the school’s clocks running fast; it had to be the universe’s clocks. Stiles didn’t know who to talk to about that. But there wasn’t any time to talk to anyone even if there was someone to talk to. Stiles held his phone and had Derek’s number pulled up. His thumb hovered over the green ‘dial’ button. This time he wasn’t as nervous. He was still nervous, that was just going to happen with no way around it, but he wasn’t going to chicken out again. This time he knew Derek wanted him to call. He had solid proof that Derek wanted him to call. So at 9:15 Stiles’s thumb went to hit the button, but he was interrupted by a number popping up on his phone that he didn’t recognize.

He thought about not answering it. He had a call to make. But Stiles wasn’t one to deliberately ignore a call. So he accepted the mystery number.

“Stiles?” A gruff voice came from the opposite end. Stiles almost passed out.

“Derek?” Stiles didn’t know what was going on. Derek was calling him. He didn’t even know Derek had his number. When did Derek get his number? How did Derek get his number? There were so many questions.

“Uh, yeah. This is Stiles right?” “Yes. How the hell did you get my number?” But then it hit him.

At the same time both the boys went, “Lydia.” And the world made sense again. Stiles’s face hurt so much he was smiling so hard. Derek Hale was calling him. Derek Hale was calling _him_.

“I was literally about to call you. You called right as I went to call.”

“Sure you were,” Derek teased him. Stiles wished he could see Derek because the sound of his voice made Stiles believe he was looking like the cockiest motherfucker to ever exist.

“I was. I promise. And then I was going to ask you out for Friday night,” Stiles somehow managed to actually get his words out. Even he had to admit that was good.

“Were you? Oh wait, shit, Friday? What time?” His heart fell to the floor. Was his date not going to happen? The date he’d been mentally having since the seventh grade wasn’t going to happen because he picked the wrong day?

“Um, I don’t know. But hey if Friday doesn’t work for you, I’m pretty much free all the time.” _Way to sound totally desperate Stiles,_ he mentally chastised himself.

“No Friday could work. I mean I have a tournament and those last until at least 9:30, but it could work maybe. What were you planning for this date?”

“I hadn’t planned that far.” He hadn’t even planned on him saying yes, so there was that. “But I suppose we could do a movie. I hear the new _Captain America_ movie is pretty good, if you’re into superhero movies. And the latest showing for that is like eleven, so we could go after your tournament.” Stiles and Scott were supposed to go see _Captain America_ , but he was sure that Scott would understand. Plus Scott had taken Allison to see _We’re the Millers_ when Scott had agreed to see it with Stiles. So Scott owed him.

“ _Captain America_ sounds good. And if the last showing is at eleven than I’ll be able to swing it. Are we just going to meet at the theater or do you want to drive together?” There was so many details that Stiles hadn’t thought of. And it wasn’t like this was going to be his first date. Stiles knew how to plan dates. He had had some killer dates in the past. But this was different. This was a date with Derek Hale. This date had to be perfect and yet here he was, fucking everything up. He just had to play it cool. He could do that. Maybe. Hopefully.

“If you want, I can drive. Or if you want to drive I’m down for that. But if you want to meet there we can totally do that too. It’s up to you.” So he wasn’t that cool about it. He was just over the moon that Derek wanted to actually go out with him. Like, it was happening.

“Well, if you want, you could just come to the tournament and we could drive together from there. Like, I have to ride on the bus to the tournament but I can leave with you, if that’s cool with you. That is, if you even want to come to the tournament.” He didn’t even have to think about it. Go to the baseball tournament where Derek would be running around in his baseball pants? Um, hell yes. Any chance to watch Derek in those pants Stiles was there.

“Yes I want to come to the tournament,” he said with maybe a little too much enthusiasm. “I mean, yeah, that is definitely fine with me.” _Nice save Stilinski._

“Okay, so I’ll see you tomorrow in chemistry, right?” Stiles didn’t want to stop talking to Derek but at the same time he was surprised he lasted this long. He wasn’t sure if he had taken a breath since he picked up the phone.

“Yeah, see you tomorrow.” But neither of them hung up. Neither of them talked, but they didn’t hang up either.

“Stiles?” Derek kind of whispered a minute later. He sounded tired.

“Yeah?” Stiles kind of whispered back.

“I’m glad I hit your car with that ball.” Stiles smiled.

“Me too, Derek.” Derek yawned from the other end. It was only 9:30, but Stiles figured that working out from 3:30 to 9:00 had to be exhausting. But he still didn’t want to hang up and apparently neither did Derek because they were still on the phone.

They talked for another hour, discussing nothing in particular. Stiles asked Derek about baseball and Derek talked about how he started playing when he was six after his dad took him to a game and he saw just how excited his dad got. Derek asked Stiles what he liked to do and Stiles told him about how he liked crime novels and playing video games with Scott and lacrosse and just driving around in his Jeep with the music turned up all the way. Derek said he would like to drive around in the Jeep with the music turned all the way up with Stiles one day. Stiles said that that’d be nice. They talked about other things too, but nothing important. It was a good first phone call.

When Stiles hung up he laid on his bed, phone still in his hand, the biggest smile on his face. He just stared at the ceiling, smiling. He didn’t even notice his dad walk in. His dad walked over to the desk and sat in the chair. He had to nudge Stiles’s foot to get his attention. Stiles jumped at the touch.

“That smile because of Derek? Did you finally call him?” His dad asked. Stiles looked over at his dad who was smirking. Stiles hated that smirk sometimes. It was so cocky. Scott said that Stiles had that smirk too, but Stiles didn’t believe him.

“Maybe,” Stiles said, trying, and failing, to get rid of the smile. His dad laughed at his failed attempt.

“I smiled for about a week after your mom agreed to go out with me. You did ask him out right? And he did say yes, didn’t he?” The sheriff moved from the desk to sitting on the edge of Stiles’s bed. Stiles sat up and put his phone on the bedside table. He looked at his dad and nodded.

“Yeah. We’re going out on Friday. I’m going to the baseball tournament and then after we’re going to see _Captain America_.”

“Do you even like baseball?” His dad had never known Stiles to be a baseball fan. Stiles played lacrosse and that was it. No baseball, basketball, football, tennis, golf, nothing but lacrosse. Stiles had a baseball bat, but he only used that for noises heard at one in the morning. Stiles didn’t know how to tell his father that he only enjoyed baseball for the uniforms. So he didn’t say anything about that. He just shrugged.

“I mean, sure. I’m really just going because Derek asked me to come.” The sheriff nodded his head, not sure what else to say. His son wasn’t that big on dating. Stiles had had three relationships since high school with only one lasting more than a month.

Last year he had dated a girl named Malia for two weeks. In the beginning of his sophomore year Stiles had a few dates with Danny Mahealani, but that wasn’t anything serious. And then there was Heather. Stiles and Heather had started going out three weeks into freshman year. Stiles really liked Heather. They dated for more than half of ninth grade year. But during the second semester when they switched classes, Stiles was put in the same PE class as Derek and his crush that he thought he had gotten over had resurfaced. Heather noticed it and broke up with Stiles.

Since Malia though, Stiles had stayed single. Now that he had a date, with the boy who he’d been pining over since he was 13, his dad didn’t know what to say. This wasn’t just some date, it was _the_ date. He didn’t have a speech prepared for this kind of thing. He should have had one, but he didn’t. So he just cleared his throat and said the only thing he could come up with.

“Curfew is 2 A.M., no later, okay?”

“Okay. Hey can I also have some money?” His dad looked at him with that look he always gave when Stiles asked for money. Stiles just pouted, waiting for his dad to give in. He stood up from the bed and reached into his pocket and pulled out his wallet.

“You paying for his ticket?” He looked down at his son who was trying not to laugh at how predictable his father was.

“Well, I did ask him, so I think so. And you know the tournament isn’t free either, so…”

“Son, you’re killing me. Here’s fifty. You know, in case you want to get a popcorn.” Stiles jumped up from the bed and hugged his dad. His dad patted him on the back. He really was happy for his son.

“Thanks Dad, you’re the best.” The sheriff rolled his eyes but laughed.

“I know. Now, get some sleep. I don’t want you falling asleep in Econ. anymore. I hate getting those calls from your teacher.”


	5. What A Game

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> So far this date night had been anything but uneventful.

“Sure Lydia, come right in.” Stiles said as Lydia sauntered into the Stilinski residence like she normally did. She was toting two Macy’s bags. Stiles was only a lot worried. The look on her face and the shopping bags never meant anything good for Stiles. She marched right up the stairs and into Stiles’s room. It should have been a shock to Stiles, but it really wasn’t anything he wasn’t used to. He followed her without another word. 

“I knew you’d pick to wear that. You always wear that shirt.” She flicked her hand dismissively. Stiles looked down at his red plaid shirt that he did not _always_ wear. Or maybe he did. So what? It was his favorite shirt. He was allowed to wear it more than once.

“Sorry I’m not like you Lydia, with your endless closet.” She was sat on the bed rummaging through her Macy’s bags. She held up shirt after shirt but kept throwing them on the ground.  

“Don’t give me that shit Stiles. You have more than one shirt. But since I know you’re incompetent when it comes to clothes, I’m here to help.” She dumped one of the bags out completely. The content was laid out on his bed when his father came into the room.  

“Son? Do I even want to know?” The sheriff leaned against the door frame, looking on in awe at Lydia as she threw shirt after shirt into the ‘ _absolutely not_ ’ pile. Stiles made his way to his father and leaned against the wall just beside his dad.  

“You what Dad? I don’t even think I know what’s going on.”

“Sheriff Stilinski, I’m obviously just helping your fashion challenged son on his big date with Derek Hale.” Lydia said, batting her eye lashes. 

“Right, obviously. Just, uh, call if you need help. And Stiles, good luck tonight. Remember to be yourself and have fun. Also don’t forget curfew. And, um, yeah…okay. Have fun.” And with that the sheriff was off. He had to go back to the station to help with a case. Lydia, practically hugging a shirt to her chest, melted at the sheriff’s advice. Stiles rolled his eyes at her. Lydia seemed to have a thing for dads. 

“Your dad is the cutest thing, seriously.” Stiles walked over to his bed and sat down. He picked up one of the shirts and held it up to himself. Lydia _tsk_ ed at him and handed him another shirt. Another _tsk_ and another and another. She threw her hands up in the air and went to get the other bag. 

"Hey Lydia, why aren't you coming to the game with me? I thought you'd be all over this. Getting to see me interact with Derek? Isn't that your bread and butter?" Stiles laid back on his bed, looking up at the ceiling fan that spun almost as slow as Lydia picking out his outfit. 

"Maybe I have plans tonight. And besides, you'll have Allison and Scott with you for the game, you won't need me." Stiles shot up at Lydia's not so subtle hint that she had a date. 

"A date? A date with who?" Lydia picked up a shirt and threw it to Stiles. He set it aside, refusing to look at it before she answered him. 

"Aiden." She grabbed Stiles and the shirt and forced him to look in the mirror.  It was a navy blue button up. She motioned for him to stand up, turn around, and look at her. She bit her lip, taking in the whole look. When she finally nodded, Stiles felt relief. He slipped the shirt on and looked in the mirror. He did look good. 

"Aiden? Ethan's brother?" Lydia nodded her head. Stiles remembered briefly overhearing Allison mentioning Lydia and Aiden talking. Stiles didn't like either of the twins. Aiden was a total dick and Ethan's only partially redeeming quality was Danny (his new boyfriend) who obviously knew something about Ethan that the rest of Beacon Hills didn't. But what right did Stiles have to tell Lydia to not go out with Aiden? None. He had no right to do anything of the sort, so he kept his mouth shut. 

Lydia continued to look at Stiles, figuring out the rest of the outfit in her mind. Her brow knit together in concentration. She smoothed the collar down as she eyed the rest of the clothes that were thrown around the room. T  hen Stiles looked around at all the clothes thrown around his room. Two Macy’s bags full of boys shirts…he had a few questions. 

“Lydia, who’s clothes are these?” Stiles picked up a soft grey t-shirt, a burgundy cardigan, another button up but this one an off shade of white. Lydia mumbled something under her breath. But the pieces were coming together. “Lydia, are these Jackson’s clothes?” She didn’t look him in the eye. That was his answer. 

“I think if you wear the blue button up you should wear khakis but with your red Converse so you don’t look too dressed up. And maybe this grey cardigan. It might get chilly tonight and movie theaters are always cold anyway.” She was rambling. It had only been a month since Jackson moved to London, but Stiles had thought she was doing better with the break up. Stiles moved closer to her until he could pull her into a hug. She shuddered for a second but she did not let a single tear slip. She was above that. 

“Wait a minute,” Stiles said, pulling away from her but keeping her at arm’s length, “why do you still have these?” She rolled her eyes in her usual annoyance, but Stiles could see right through it. 

“This is all the shit that he left at my house. He’s called for it at least ten times, but he’s the idiot who left my house without a shirt because he thought my mother would walk in on us at anytime and just bolted without putting his shirt back on.” 

“So I’m wearing Jackson’s sex shirts?” Stiles had the urge to rip the shirt off, burn it, then bathe in acid.  

“Technically, I suppose you could call them that. But more pre-sex shirts if anything. Oh come off it Stiles. You look better in that than he ever did.” She turned him back toward the mirror. He looked at himself. He did look better in this than his plaid shirt. He still loved that plaid shirt, but he had to admit the blue was probably a safer bet. She handed him the grey sweater and smiled at him with a sadder than preferred smile. He wrapped his arm around her shoulder and kissed the top of her head. 

“I think you might have saved my date Lydia Martin.” Her smile brightened, then her lips pulled into a pucker as she examined him again. 

“Maybe the green t-shirt…” She went to go search through the clothes again but Stiles held her to his side.  

“Stop. You’re going to ruin the moment.” She lightly hit his stomach but squeezed him closer, laughing. 

* * *

Scott and Allison were already at the game when Stiles showed up. The game had already started by the time Stiles showed up actually. He was always late though. He found Scott and Allison and made his way to where they sat in the bleachers. He was halfway up the bleachers when he caught a glimpse of Derek, who waved at him, and he accidentally stepped in a bag of popcorn, slipped, and practically fell down the bleachers. Most of the game-goers stopped and gasped at the idiot who fell down the bleachers. Even the players had stopped the game to see Stiles take his tumble. Derek ran from his spot on first base over to where Stiles hung upside-down. 

“Stiles! Are you alright?” His head had slammed against the bleacher pretty hard and was ringing a little but Stiles laughed it off and picked himself up. Everyone cheered for him.

“Sorry, didn’t mean to steal your thunder,” he teased Derek, rubbing the back of his head. Derek tried his best to hide his smirk with an eye roll, but it didn't help. 

“You think we can get back to the game now or is your boyfriend going to maim anyone else?” Greenberg yelled form the other side of the field. Stiles blushed. Derek winked at him before he ran back to his spot.

“You’re just jealous that my boyfriend is so hot!” Derek yelled at Greenberg who began to howl with laughter. The rest of the Beacon Hill team laughed along with Greenberg and Derek. In a little bit of a state of shock and with an even deeper blush on his face, Stiles carefully made his way to Scott and Allison and sat down. Allison had to hit Scott in the arm to get him to stop laughing. The crowd that was seated around them kept trying not to stare but were doing a pretty piss poor job. 

“You look nice,” Allison commented, breaking the silence. She handed him a bag of popcorn, trying to cut the tension. He declined, not wanting to get any butter on his shirt or pants. 

“Thanks. Lydia helped me.” His hands were starting to get sweaty. He was so nervous and the real date hadn’t even started yet. Allison offered him the popcorn again; he took some just to stop his hand from shaking. 

"I knew you could never pick out an outfit that didn't include plaid!" Scott joked with him. Stiles mocked laughed at him and flipped him off. Allison gave both of them a warning look. Both boys stuck their tongues out at each other before laughing it off.

Throughout the game, Stiles seemed to loosen up. He was cheering with the rest of the crowd. Every time Derek stepped up to bat he would shout extra loud. Derek would look over at him and shake his head, but Stiles could see a smile. It was going really well. 

As the crowd started to leave, Scott and Allison told Stiles to have fun before they left. Stiles waved as they carefully maneuvered their way down the bleachers. Stiles, knowing his history with the bleachers, decided to wait until the crowd had died down a little before moving any. He pulled out his phone to text his dad, just let him know that he hadn’t been kidnaped. He pressed _send_ then decided that the crowd had thinned out enough. He walked to his car, where Derek and he had agreed to meet.

“Hey!” He heard a call from behind. Stiles turned around and saw two boys approaching him. One was blond and wearing a letterman jacket and the other was a redhead in a baseball uniform. They were from another school, Palo Heights, the Panthers.  

“Me?” Stiles asked, nervously. He didn’t like the tone in the shout nor their menacing approach tactic. They came closer to him, kind of over stepping the personal boundaries that normal people have. 

“You the dumbass who fell down the bleachers? Derek Hale’s _boyfriend_?” The blond spit at him. The way he said boyfriend was like it tasted sour in his mouth. Stiles did not like where this was going.   

“Ah, well I’m not his boyfriend.” That wasn’t a lie. They hadn’t even had their first date technically. The redhead moved in closer, almost pinning him to the Jeep. He really wished Derek would somehow just magically pop up and help him. Maybe not even Derek. Anyone who was willing to help would have been appreciated. 

“He said you were,” the redhead snapped at him. 

“That? That was a joke! Didn’t you hear them all laugh after he said that? I mean the whole team laughed along. Did you somehow miss that or something?” Stiles was panicking now. Like, really panicking. He was wedged between his Jeep and two boys who were obviously not in the mood for nervous sarcasm. 

“Didn’t sound like a joke to me,” the blond sneered as he got closer. Stiles was back flat against his Jeep. He had nowhere else to go. He could start swinging, but he didn’t want to start a fight he knew he would lose. Two against one? He would be knocked out in less than ten minutes. 

“What’s it matter to you anyway?” A voice came from behind the boys. Derek was standing there. He dropped his equipment bag to the ground and stepped closer. Neither of the boys got to answer Derek before fists were flying. Stiles went to help, but Derek had both of the Palo Heights boys out before Stiles moved. The two boys picked themselves up and ran away before anything else happened. Derek ran over to Stiles and grabbed him by the shoulders, his eyes searching Stiles.  

“Are you alright?” Derek took Stiles's face into his hands. Stiles leaned into the embrace. He nodded his head. 

 “Yeah, I’m fine. They didn’t do anything. All bark, no bite. Are you alright?” Derek dropped his hands from Stiles and looked at his knuckles. They were a little bloody, but he’d be fine. He nodded his head. 

“I’ll be fine. Let’s just go to the movie, 'kay?” Stiles thought that sounded like a great idea. 


	6. (Not) Just a Date

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The game may be over but this date is just getting started

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I suck at titles, so please don't judge me on them

It’s not like it was his first date. He’d gone on plenty of dates. He actually had to keep telling himself that. It was just the first date with Derek Hale and that was fucking terrifying. Sure the car ride to the theater was nice. Stiles thanked Derek about a hundred times, each time Derek saying it was nothing. And after the hundredth time Stiles decided the topic was over played and didn’t want to bore Derek with it. So they listened to Stiles’s iPod. And sure, Defying Gravity was the first song that played because Stiles had forgotten that he had added that song a while ago, but Derek loved it or at least he said he did and that was good enough for Stiles. Then they sang along to his music no matter what song came on and no matter if they knew the words or not. They laughed every time either of them screwed up the words. It was a lot of fun. But then they were in the theater and it was dark and they were the only ones in the theater which should not have been weird but it was and Stiles began to freak out a little. Or a lot. 

The screen was black. They had showed up twenty minutes early so the commercials hadn’t even started. It was really quiet. Stiles kept telling himself to just say something, but he couldn’t think of a possible thing to say. Every topic that could be discussed wiped clean of his brain. It was a perfect time for Stiles to do what he does best and panic.

“You want something to drink?” Stiles asked as he began to stand up. He tried to wipe his sweaty palms on his jeans without being too obvious. Derek saw it. 

“Uh, yeah. I can come with you. The movie won’t be starting for another like 15 minutes.” Derek tried to stand up but Stiles walked down the aisle without waiting for him, practically running out of the theater. He didn’t even ask Derek what he wanted to drink. It was too late to go back now though. Derek was just going to have to like Pepsi. Or Dr. Pepper. Or maybe he was a Mountain Dew kind of guy. Shit, Stiles couldn’t believe how badly he just screwed up. 

He was walking to the concession stand but then he found himself walking out of the theater. The bitter winter air bit at his cheeks. He pulled his phone out and called the only person who he wanted to talk to. 

“Stiles? Are you alright?”

“Dad. I can’t do this. I’m not good at this kind of thing. Impressing Derek Hale?! Who was I trying to fool? I’m not someone who can just _go on a date with Derek Hale_!” His breathing was jagged. It felt very similar to a panic attack, like the ones he got after his mother died. His breathing quickened but he just couldn’t seem to catch his breath. It was like he couldn’t inhale deep enough for it feel right again. 

“Stiles, son, you need to sit down and try to level your breathing. Do you need me to come and get you? Because I will.” He did as his dad told him. He sat on the curb and stuck his head between his knees. His breathing started to settle

“I don’t think you’ll need to come and get me. You just need to tell me how to do this. How do I make him…like me?” The sherif then did something Stiles didn’t think he would do at a time like this. He laughed at him. In a time of desperate need of guidance, his father was not supposed to laugh at him. “Dad? Stop laughing at me.” Stiles said, slightly hurt by his father’s mocking. 

“Stiles, I think he already likes you. Actually, I’m sure he does. He agreed to go on this date with you, didn't he?” 

“Yeah but that could just be because he thinks I’m hot. Getting him to like me requires talking and I may talk a lot but have you actually listened to me before? I say mostly bullshit! Even I want myself to shut up sometimes. It’s ridiculous how I even have friends and have managed to get other people to date me before!” He was relaxing a little, his father could tell by the way he was joking with him. His dad was just going to let him talk himself into it, it usually worked. 

“While I agree with you on the whole you talking mostly bullshit, I would also like to mention that that is not an excuse to run away from him. Where even are you right now? Aren’t you on your date now?” Stiles looked around him. The parking lot was dimly lit with light posts scattered throughout. His Jeep was sitting directly under one looking sad and beat up. There was a couple buying tickets to go see Oculus and the man looked a hell of a lot more terrified than any person Stiles had ever seen. Well, besides himself. 

“I’m sitting outside of the theater. Like, outside outside.” The wind was picking up. Good thing he had on Jackson’s cardigan. Jackson’s pre-sex cardigan. Still trying not to think about that.

“Where does he think you are?” His dad tried, but failed, to cover another burst of laughter. 

“I told him I was getting drinks,” Stiles mumbled.  

“And then you ran out?”

“I panicked Dad! I totally freaked out. We were just sitting in a completely empty theater and neither of us were talking and the previews hadn’t even started so it was just us and I didn’t know what to do.”

“So you ran?”

“So I ran. Yes.” His dad let out a sigh on the other end of the phone. Stiles could picture the look on his fathers face. It said ‘ _Really? Really son?_ ’ Stiles was very familiar with that look. 

“Alright Stiles, let me ask you a question. Do you want to be on this date with this boy?”  

“Yes, of course I do Dad.” That was a stupid question. Five years he had been wanting this date to happen. And only in the past few days did he think it was even possible. 

“So go have this date with him, yeah? Maybe just take a deep breath, buy him a soda because by now he probably thinks you got lost somehow, and watch a movie with him. Try not to think too much and just do.” And before Stiles could make a joke out what his father just told him to do, his dad hung up on him. So he took a deep breath and then another and one more for good luck then pushed himself up and walked into the theater. He got a Dr. Pepper, a Pepsi, a Mountain Dew, and a Sierra Mist, a pack of M&Ms, licorice, gummy worms, and chocolate covered peanuts just to be safe and walked back into the theater. Derek was miraculously still sitting there. The lights were darker and one of the last previews was just wrapping up. Stiles walked up the stairs balancing the cups and candy carefully. He faltered a little, but caught himself in the least graceful way possible which earned him a smile from Derek. 

“What’d you do? Buy the whole concession stand?” Stiles placed the drinks in the cup holders surrounding themand held out the candy for Derek to choose. 

“I wasn’t sure what to get so I got a Dr. Pepper, Mountain Dew, a Pepsi, and a Sierra Mist. Then we have M&Ms, licorice, gummy worms, and chocolate covered peanuts.”  

“Damn. I only like orange soda and Sno Caps.” Stiles’s eyes went wide. How could he have forgotten orange soda and Sno Caps? He went to get up and get Derek the snack he wanted when Derek pulled Stiles’s arm, forcing him to sit down. 

“I’m joking Stiles. Can I have the Pepsi and the gummy worms?” Stiles let out a breath as he moved to get the Pepsi. He handed the snack to Derek who tore the bag with his teeth.  

“Sorry it took so long. I just…I couldn’t decide.” Derek looked at him and smiled with a mouth full of gummy worms. Stiles laughed, finally feeling relaxed. 

“It’s okay. You didn’t miss any good previews. Well Guardians of the Galaxy looks pretty cool, but that’s about it.” Stiles was about to say something else but the lights dimmed even more as the movie began to start. Stiles grabbed the Dr. Pepper and opened the licorice. He propped his feet up on the back of the seat in front of him and leaned back into his own seat. He was finally at ease and could enjoy his date. 

* * *

“You just had to drink all three sodas didn’t you? I guess I should just be lucky that I got my own Pepsi.” Derek asked as Stiles walked out of the bathroom. Not even halfway through the movie all of the sodas were gone, and about ten minutes later Stiles felt like his bladder was going to erupt. When the movie was over he made a beeline for the bathrooms.

“Says the one who ate all the movie snacks. I guess I should just be lucky that I got to eat my own licorice.” The boys started walking to Stiles’s Jeep. The wind had died down a lot, but it was still a little cold. Without thinking about it, they got closer as they continued to walk. 

“Well that’s because licorice is disgusting.” Derek knocked into Stiles’s shoulder. Stiles stopped dead in his track and looked utterly shocked.  

“Take that back. Licorice is delicious. I don’t think we can talk any more. I can’t associate with anyone who hates licorice. What else do you hate? Puppies? Happiness?” Derek shook his head and grabbed Stiles’s hand, pulling him along to the car. Stiles tried not to think about it. Like his dad said, ‘ _don’t think, just do_.’ Yeah so he was holding Derek’s hand, no big deal. 

“Come on you loser, it’s cold outside. Get that Jeep warmed up.” Derek’s hand let go of Stiles’s as they reached the Jeep and they got inside. Stiles didn’t even think about how much he wanted to hold Derek’s hand again. Nope. Not at all. Thought never crossed his mind as he cranked the Jeep up and turned the heat on with shaking hands. It was February in California, not Antarctica.

“You know calling me a loser isn’t going to help you get a second date.” Stiles said, turning to Derek. 

“Who says I want a second date?” Derek asked, meeting Stiles’s eyes. The Jeep’s interior light was still on but it slowly started to fade out. And as it dimmed Stiles thought that Derek was maybe getting closer to him. Like maybe Derek was about to kiss him, maybe. But when the light went out, nothing happened.  

“So you don’t like licorice or want a second date? Wow, your loss buddy.” Stiles started to pull out of the parking lot which had long been empty. It was almost 1:30 and they had been the last two in the theater besides the lone theater worker waiting for them to be done with their movie. 

“How about this? I will go another date with you, if you promise to not eat licorice on said date.”

“Is this date another movie? Because if it is I don’t know if I can live up to that promise.”  

“It doesn’t have to be a movie. We could something else.” 

“Like what? And you have to pick this time, because I did this time.” 

“I don’t know. Do you like laser tag?” Stiles looked over at Derek, taking his eyes off the road for a second. He was about answer with a ‘ _hell yes!_ ’ when Derek shouted at him and Stiles whipped his head back to look at the road just in time to dodge a turtle walking across the road. They were both a little shaken up after that. Neither of them said anything again until Stiles was pulling into his driveway. 

“Is this your not so subtle way of trying to get in my pants?” Derek asked seemingly out of the blue. Stiles nearly choked on his own spit. But then he realized that he had just driven to his house and not Derek’s house. He didn’t even know where Derek lived and yet he had gotten in the Jeep and started driving. He had completely forgotten about taking Derek home. 

“Shit, sorry. I didn’t even think. How far away do you live?” 

“Like half an hour.” Stiles looked at the time. It was five minutes ’til 2. ‘ _Curfew at 2, no later_.’ those were his father’s exact words and Stiles knew that his dad meant them. He looked out to see if the living room light was still on. It was. His father was still up, or at least asleep on the couch in the living room waiting for Stiles to get home.

“Um, do you want to come in for a second while I ask my dad a quick question?” Derek snorted a laugh but began to get out of the Jeep.  

Stiles opened the door carefully and quietly like he had learned to do when he tried to sneak in and out of the house with a sherif with apparent super-sonic hearing for a father. He got into the living room without waking up his dad but then Derek shut the front door without the proper training. The sherif bolted up right from the couch where he had been sleeping. Stiles shot a look to Derek, who shrugged and mouthed a sorry. 

“I’m up! I wasn’t sleeping!” 

“Dad. Dad! It’s just me. Stiles. Your son.” His dad blinked, adjusting to the light. 

“What time is it?” He looked at his watch but his eyes were still adjusting. 

“It’s 2, I made curfew. But I have a favor to ask.” Stiles walked over to him and sat on the arm of the couch. Derek hung back in the foyer, trying not to be noticed. 

“What?” The sherif ran his hands over his face, trying to wake up. “Does it have something to do with Derek Hale standing in my foyer?” Derek went rigid at the sound of his name. He had really been trying not to be seen. But he had been so he made his way out of the foyer and into the living room. 

“It might. Look I forgot about taking Derek home, and don’t ask how I just did, so I was wondering if I could get an extension on my curfew just to take him home.” 

“How far away do you live?” The sherif asked Derek directly. 

“Half an hour or so. Uh, sir.” Stiles tried not to smile at how flustered Derek was. It was really cute. 

“Don’t ‘sir’ me, Derek. And no, Stiles you cannot. You wouldn’t be getting home until 3, that’s too late. I’ll take him in the patrol car.” Stiles groaned. He really didn’t want that to be an option.  

“Could he just stay the night? I’ll sleep in my room and he can take the guest room. Derek would your parent’s be okay with that?” Derek looked from the sherif to Stiles. 

“Um, well it’s actually my uncle and, yeah, he won’t care. If that’s alright with you, sir.” He said again to the sherif. Stiles knew that he didn’t like being called ‘sir’ unless it was from a deputy or another cop. Made him feel old, which he was, but whatever.  

“I don’t mind using the patrol car. I wouldn’t embarrass anyone Stiles, no lights this time.” Stiles had a flashback to freshman year when his dad caught him and Heather making out in Stiles’s room and Heather’s shirt may or may not have been off. The sherif calmly told Heather to get dressed and that he would take her home. When Stiles and Heather got to the car, his dad made both of them get in the back and then he drove around town with the lights and sirens on, making it the worst thing possible. 

“Dad. Please, just let him stay the night. It’s late and seriously we just want to go to sleep. In completely different rooms of course.” His dad looked between the two boys, wanted to protest, but decided that Stiles was right. It was late. He was tired and really didn’t want to go driving this late. He ran his hands over his face again before agreeing. He stood up and shook Derek’s hand.

“Derek, it was nice to meet you. Goodnight son.” He hugged Stiles before walking up the stairs, leaving Stiles and Derek standing in the living room with neither of them really knowing what to do. 

“Do you need to call your uncle? Let him know you’ll be spending the night?”  

“No, Peter doesn’t really care what happens to me. He probably doesn’t even know I'm not home.” How does someone react to that? ‘ _That sucks_ ’? An awkward laugh? There really wasn’t a good way. So Stiles just cleared his throat and pointed upstairs.  

“Oh, alright, well I’ll show you to the guest room.” Stiles, taking a cue from Derek at the theater, grabbed Derek’s hand and lead him up the steps and to his room. That time though Stiles was well aware of their hands pressed closely together, and just how good it felt. He was also aware that his hands were surprisingly not sweaty. He let go of his hand to grab some pillows and a blanket from the hall closet. 

“Do you have a pair of sweat pants or something for me to change into? I don’t really like sleeping in jeans.” Stiles nodded and walked to his room, still carrying Derek’s pillows and blanket. Derek followed behind him like a lost puppy. 

“Sorry about the mess,” Stiles said, maneuvering around all the clothes that Lydia said she would clean up but obviously did not. “Lydia was here earlier and she was helping me pick this outfit for tonight.” 

“I thought you looked nicer than your usual plaid shirt and graphic t-shirt.” 

“Why do you gotta keep insulting everything I love? First licorice now my favorite shirt and staple outfit. What’s next? My Jeep?” Derek looked down when Stiles said the Jeep. Stiles threw his hands up in frustration then threw his pajama pants at Derek’s head. Derek was too busy laughing to catch them and they hit them in the face.  

“Oh come on Stiles, I never actually said I didn’t like your Jeep. It’s nice in a rustic kind of way.” Derek said with a laugh. Derek looked at the plaid pajama pants that Stiles had just thrown at him. Stiles wished he didn’t have so much plaid.

“Name one thing you do actually like!” The teasing started out as a joke, but Stiles was starting to really think that maybe this was Derek’s way of telling him that they really shouldn’t be going on a second date. So maybe Stiles asked him to name something he actually liked with a smile on his face but inside he was shaking. 

Derek took a look around the room, pursing his lip, inspecting things. He picked up a Iron Man comic book that was laying on Stiles’s desk. 

“I like this.” Derek said, the playful look still in his eye. Stiles didn’t want to make it weird, but he kind of needed to know now.   

“Seriously,” he said in a tiny voice, avoiding Derek’s gaze.

“Well,” Derek said taking a step closer to Stiles, “I like _you_.”


End file.
